Foé death raises questions

By Trevor Haylett

Football remains in shock following last month's death of Cameroon and Olympique Lyonnais midfield player Marc-Vivien Foé during the FIFA Confederations' Cup.

Second autopsy
Foé's funeral in the Cameroonian capital Yaounde yesterday was observed by tens of thousands of people. Meanwhile, a second autopsy performed on the player has ruled out the presence of any stimulants and revealed that he died from natural causes related to his heart. However, it still leaves unanswered the question of how a professional athlete renowned for his strength could succumb without warning at the age of 28.

Rare occurrence
Thankfully, such tragedies remain a rare occurrence. That, allied to the fact that Foé was a prominent and popular player, is why this case has generated so much concern among the football community. Inevitably attention has turned to the demands placed on players and whether they pose a threat to their long-term health.

Taylor warning
Foé's death has had a major impact in England. After an earlier spell at West Ham United FC, he spent last season on loan from Lyon at Manchester City FC. Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the English Professional Footballers' Association, has called for a proper summer break to give players the opportunity to recover from long, hard seasons. He has also warned of the dangers of top performers "going to the well too many times".

Possible factors
The suffocating temperatures on the night of Cameroon's ill-fated semi-final, as well as Foé's complaint before the game that he was suffering from stomach trouble, have been discussed. However, such factors would become less prominent should it be confirmed that the player's condition could have taken his life at any age.

Similar case
Foé's death was similar to that of Nigerian international Samuel Okwaraji, who collapsed near the end of a FIFA World Cup qualifier in 1989 and died from cardiac failure. An autopsy found he had an enlarged heart and blood pressure.

Hereditary conditions
However, the reality is that serious hereditary conditions can remain undetected even during the most rigorous checks undertaken by clubs. Paul Lake, a former City player, now working as a physiotherapist at English third division club Macclesfield Town FC, said: "The worry, the frustration, is that even if the City physios and medical staff had assessed Marc-Vivien's medical in close detail with officials at the club and then done the same with people at the FA, it's entirely probable that something like a hereditary condition would not have been picked up.

Every avenue covered
"With the number of experts around these days, from the physios to the hands-on doctors to the sports scientists, clubs have just about every avenue covered. I would be amazed to think in this case that it could have been something that would normally have shown up on the medical."

Adult syndrome
In Foé's case, attention has turned to the possibility of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome which, in some cases, is believed to have been caused by heart arrhythmias in which the heartbeat races without warning. Experts say it is not an easy condition to detect, especially on a routine heart health check of the type normally taken during a footballer's medical. Sufferers may have no symptoms at all, while the fatal arrhythmia may even occur when the victim is asleep.